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Alanna flew from the carriage into her room, already feeling the spell wear off.
"I never even found out his name…" she told her cat.
He was handsome…
Alanna merely raised an eyebrow, "Delia saw me with him and I swore she was glaring."
She was glaring, I could see from where I was. Faithful went back to calmly cleaning himself.
"ALANNA!" The screech rang out.
Delia threw the door open.
"Delia, I'd expected you to be home later…pity I was enjoying the quiet…"
"WHAT WERE YOU DOING?"
"What do you mean?"
"AT THE BALL YOU FREAK, WHAT WERE YOU DOING !"
"I believe I was looking around for a husband, why?"
Delia bit her lip and her face contorted into pure hatred, " You were dancing with the prince the ENTIRE night you little WITCH!"
"Really, I didn't know that." Alanna was impassive.
"So what, you going to lift your skirts for him? You're such a…"
"Delia, hypothetically if his highness liked me and you called me names, wouldn't that be bad…if not, then have you forgotten about my gift?" Alanna wiggled her fingers.
Delia glared at her, "You'll be lucky if mother doesn't throw you on the streets."
"I'm afraid that since this is my father's house she can't quite do that. Try again Delia you might get it right next time."
"Witch." Delia spat as she turned around and slammed the door behind her.
You're going to hear it from the Madame.
"Yes, but it was worth it, wasn't it?"
It was…Faithful went back to grooming himself.
"And all I have from it was this glass slipper…" Alanna said wistfully.
The Madame had responded by doubling Alanna's workload and cutting off any visits to the city. Instead every day she was made to get cleaned up at four o'clock and men would be paraded through for her to see.
The Madame waited for a good offer, but there were none, so every day Alanna sat through the bargainings for an arranged marriage, although none ever worked.
Alanna sat by her window every day wishing that her prince would come to no avail… (very cliché I know, but I have to use it!)
Meanwhile in the castle, the King was having sweet dreams about his beautiful grandchildren, after Alanna had married Jon. He was happily involved in these dreams, when his son shook him awake.
"Father, we have to find her!" Jon said panicked.
"Hm…oh yes, the girl…for the sake of Ali and Roald we must find her…!"
"Ali and Roald?" Duke Gareth raised an eyebrow.
"Don't bother with your blasphemy Gareth, we must search every foot in the kingdom to find the girl!" The king commanded.
So with this information Duke Gareth set out to find the prince's new love.
"Thank you father…"
"My pleasure son, now go find your lady and…" Jon ran out, "Ali and Roald will thank me later…" he muttered as he fell back asleep.
The king's news spread through the kingdom like wildfire. Girls throughout the kingdom waited for the fateful knock which meant the duke was here with his glass slipper.
Eventually when the news spread to Trebond, the Madame made sure Alanna had not heard.
"Alanna, go to your attic, relax for a while, your sisters and I must go shopping."
When Alanna had gone into her room, the Madame locked the door.
"By the by Alanna, it's said that the prince is visiting with the glass slipper of his true love…too bad you'll be in your attic!" Delia taunted, before leaving Alanna.
"I have to get out of here! If I ever want to leave I have to unlock that door!"
Faithful was scratching at it, to no avail. Alanna tried to run against it, but there was a chair lodged beneath the handle.
You have to do it, use your gift! Faithful's voice was a shout.
Alanna slowly let the purple fire seep from her fingers like water, it coated the door, and then with a push, it flew from it's hinges.
Alanna raced down the stairs.
The duke tried Delia's foot, to find she could barely fit a toe in, and Josephine's foot was too long.
"Are these all of the maidens in your house?"
The Madame nodded.
"This was the last house your grace!"
"Madame, you are sure there are no more maidens, maids serving girls…"
The Madame nodded, "Other than I, but I am no maiden your grace."
He nodded, "We must have missed someone, unless you lie Madame. That would be treason."
"I do not lie your grace!" The Madame started to say, but was cut off by Alanna flying down the stairs.
"I'm a maiden your grace!" She curtsied when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
As the duke moved towards her, Delia made one last attempt and she tripped him, causing the glass slipper to shatter.
"Whoops! Silly me!"
The glass slipper, and the only way to prove Alanna was the mystery woman, lay in pieces.
"What can I do now?" Alanna thought, praying for a miracle.
I know, cliffieevil!
But I had to use it!
-MK
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